Gundam Base, Hongdae

How much Gundam is too much? I have yet to reach that point so I wouldn't know, and from the looks of it neither has Korea. Just when I thought I was living in Gundam heaven Bandai went and built a 4th Gundam Base right here in Seoul: that makes two Bases north of the Han river and two south of it. Why one city needs so many Gundam Bases is not clear to me, but you can bet I'm not complaining (that same bet does not apply to my girlfriend).

It was on the official Korean Gundam homepage where I saw the announcement for the 4th Base's May 23rd grand opening in Seoul's Hongdae neighborhood. Hongdae is far from my home and making it in time to be there when the store doors first swung open meant I'd have to set my alarm early. Only a few things can deter me from Gunpla however, and a 7am wake-up call on a Saturday is not one of them. I made the journey to Hongdae without a problem and when I arrived at the new Gundam Base I was a little surprised to see that there was a long queue of people waiting outside get in to the store. Almost every demographic was present: there were young children waiting alone and with parents, older male teens hanging out and joking around, couples and singles, and a few grandparents on missions for grandchildren. All were Korean, and even if I stood out as the only foreigner waiting to get in I didn't feel like I stood out. We were all there for Gundam. One little Korean boy even tried practicing his English on me by asking me which Gundam is my favorite! After standing in line for about an hour (and having a quick photo op with Char Aznable) I was allowed into the store.

Inside, the Gundam Base was as busy as the queue outside suggested. Shoppers were filling baskets with the latest models and a long checkout line snaked around the entirety of the store from front to back and back to front. The shelves were fully stocked with Gunpla of all grades and sizes, and along one wall was a fine selection of paints, markers and other accessories. I actually saw a couple of decal sheets I wanted to buy but I had already spent enough time in lines for one day so I opted to just look around the store and take photos. The Hongdae Gundam Base had several impressive display pieces and aisle after of aisle of Gunpla to peruse so there was plenty for me to look at before I decided I had had my fill of ogling Gundams and made my departure.

A couple of notes about the Hongdae Gundam Base: it's probably the furthest from a metro station of all the Seoul Bases. Whereas the Gangnam, Yongsan and Coex Bases are within short walking distance of their respective stations, getting to the Hongdae Base requires leaving Hongdae Station via Exit 9 and walking up the hill towards Hongik University. The Base itself is on the second floor of a small office building that's next to a Starbucks; this gives it a pretty unique location, as it's the only Seoul Base that's connected directly to the outside. It even has a decent-sized open air balcony with tables and chairs (for customers who like to build their Gunpla outdoors?) and a nice view of the street below. I really like that aspect of the Hongdae Base: the large windows and balcony let a generous amount of fresh air and sunlight into the store, something the other more enclosed Bases don't offer.

All that said, I don't have any reason to start making regular trips to the Hongdae Base. It doesn't offer anything the other Bases already do, and its distance from my home makes it a much less practical choice when I have the more conveniently located Gangnam Base available to me. Furthermore, the Gunpla and modeling supplies for sale at the Hongdae store are pretty standard, so when it comes to one-stop shopping I still recommend the Yongsan Base; not only does it remain the largest and best stocked of the Seoul Bases, it has the added benefit of being next to the excellent Tamiya and Style X hobby supply shops.

The Hongdae Base is nonetheless an awesome addition to the Gundam Base family in Seoul, and for Gundam fanatics who live in or near the Hongdae area it's a great place to go to get their Gunpla. As for me, if I'm ever drinking beer with friends in Hongdae on a Friday night and I suddenly decide I need a Gunpla fix (highly possible) it's nice to know the Hongdae Gundam Base is there for me!